1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to computers, and more particularly to a method, system, and computer program product for overlay identification of a data processing target structure in a computing environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Computers, and computing environments, are used in virtually every setting, including at home, work, and school. Computer data storage provides one of the core functions of the modern computer, that of information retention. It is one of the fundamental components of all modern computers, and coupled with a central processing unit (CPU), implements the basic computer model used since the 1940s.
Computer software, or simply software, is a general term used to describe a collection of computer programs, procedures and documentation that perform tasks in a computing environment. This includes application software such as word processors that perform productive tasks for users, system software such as operating systems, which interface with hardware to provide the necessary services for application software, and middleware which controls and coordinates distributed systems.
Software generally uses computer data storage for a variety of purposes. For example, the software itself is stored on a computer data storage system. Additionally, software may use information such as a file, as in the case of word processors. The information contained in the file may be stored in a data storage system.
In some cases, software environments may cause data to be written to an existing portion of data storage. Such a scenario is referred to as an overlay. It is difficult for a user to diagnose overlays in data storage. The lack of identification and diagnosis of overlays may lead to data integrity problems and system outages. Due to the severity in the nature of these problems, it is incumbent to diagnose and resolve overlays quickly. Unfortunately in today's environment, there are often few clues as to who caused the overlay.